Stuff
Stuff
Local Chronology, 1878-79.
1878.
Dec. 27.
Retirement of Superintendent Clarkson, of the Wigan County Constabulary. - Public Meeting to consider the distress in the town; a committee appointed to administer relief.
Dec. 28.
Opening of the Southport Sanatorium by Lady Lindsay.
Dec. 30.
Resolution passed by Abram ratepayers to petition for a Local Board for the township.
1879.
Jan. 2.
Reduction of 7½ per cent. in wages of a portion of Wigan cotton operatives.
Jan. 4.
Sudden death at Liverpool of Mr. Maxwell Copland, aged 31 years.
Jan. 6.
Strike of colliers at the Crawford and Woodshaw Pits of the Wigan Coal and Iron Company.
Jan. 13.
Consecration of the new Church of St. John the Baptist, Earlestown. - Dinas Colliery Explosion; 60 lives lost.
Jan. 16.
Opening for curling of the Southport Glaciarium by Lord Lindsay, M.P.
Jan. 19.
Hospital Sunday.
Jan. 20.
Wigan Quarter Sessions; four prisoners.
Jan. 21.
Volunteer Officers' Ball.
Jan. 23.
Opening of the Wigan-lane Cocoa and Coffee Rooms. - Local Government Inquiry at Blackrod.
Jan. 27.
First Annual Meeting of the Wigan Victoria Permanent Building Society.
Jan. 30.
Mr. Peter Gibson, of Wigan, killed whilst crossing the line at Hindley Green Station.
Jan. 31.
Mr. Garnett George Tatham appointed medical officer of the Workhouse and Wigan district of the Union.
Feb. 5.
Wigan Town Council Quarterly Meeting. Animated discussion as to the management of the Gas Works; adoption of a special report on the town's finances.
Feb. 7.
Presentation of an address and silver dish and ewer to Mr. Henry Woodcock, on his leaving the town for the south.
Feb. 8.
Death of Mr. Robert Winstanley, of Ince, for nearly 40 years an officer of the Wigan Union.
Feb. 11.
Colliery Explosion at Garswood Hall Collieries; three men killed and seven injured.
Feb. 13.
Twenty-third Makerfield Ploughing Match.
Feb. 14.
Re-election of Lord Lindsay, M.P., president of the Royal Astonomical Society.
Feb. 18.
Government Inquiry into the management of the Ashton Charities. - Wrightington and Standish Ploughing Match.
Feb. 22.
Institution of the Rev. J. Crofts, vicar of Dalton.
Feb. 23.
Death of Mr. G. W. Kuper, professor of music, Wigan, aged 60 years.
Feb. 24.
Liberal Meeting at Hindley.
Feb. 25.
Election of Mr. Geo. Williams, chief constable of Wigan, chief of the Liverpool Detective Force.
Feb. 27.
Local Government Inquiry at Billinge.
Mar. 6.
Important case before the borough magistrates respecting payment for street improvements; decision against the Corporation.
Mar. 8.
Presentation to Mr. Johnson, of Ince, on his retirement from service under the Wigan Coal and Iron Company.
Mar. 9.
Death, at his residence, Millgate, Wigan, of Dr. John Latham, aged 77 years.
Mar. 13.
Fatal accident at the Sovereign Mills, through the breaking of a hoist rope.
Mar. 14.
Meeting in the Council Chamber with reference to taking steps to promote commerce with Central Africa.
Mar. 15.
A factory hand, named Martin Connor, found dead in the Churchyard, with his head cut and injured, supposed to have resulted from falling whilst intoxicated. - Ince Bulb Show.
Mar. 17.
Sudden death, at St. Leonard's, of Mr. Richard Leigh, solicitor, late of Wigan, aged 40 years.
Mar. 19.
The Pemberton Local Board Water Bill before the House of Commons' Committee.
Mar. 20.
Local Government Inquiry at Aspull.
Mar. 22.
Judgement given in the Court of Queen's Bench in the case of Ditchfield v. Justices of Wigan.
Mar. 24.
Presentation of Mr. Alderman Byrom's portrait to the Corporation.
Mar. 27.
Farewell Tea Party to the Rev. R. Aikenhead, of the King-street Baptist Church.
April 1.
Government Inquiry at Abram. - Presentation to the Rev. T. James, curate at St. Thomas's Church, on his leaving the district.
April 3.
Appointment of Captain Charles German Alison chief constable of Wigan. - James Potter, certificated manager, killed at the Edge Green Colliery.
April 9.
Annual Meeting of the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary.
April 10.
Presentation of an address and a purse of gold to Mr. George Williams, on his leaving the town.
April 11.
Retirement, through ill health, of Mr. John Barton, for 40 years a member of the Wigan Board of Guardians.
April 12.
Publication of the Provisional Order authorising the construction of the Wigan Tramways. - Contests for election of Guardians in Wigan, Shevington, and Ince.
April 16.
Bazaar at St. Peter's Church Memorial Schools, Hindley.
April 25.
Annual Meeting of the Wigan Board of Guardians; re-election of Mr. W. Strickland as chairman. - Death of Mr. George Hill, of Ince, for many years traffic superintendent at Springs Branch.
April 26.
Annual Meeting of the Lancashire and Cheshire Miners' Relief Society; presentation of a special report from Mr. F. G. P. Nelson on the financial condition of the Society.
April 28.
Sudden death of Mr. Richard Smethurst, of Ellerbeck, aged 54 years. - Wigan Borough Sessions; 18 prisoners.
May 1.
Strike in the Wigan Building trade against a reduction in wages and an increase in working hours. - Dinner at Aspull to commemorate the first supplying of water to the township.
May 5.
Opening of a new Church School at Dalton. - Presentation to the Rev. A. H. Webb.
May 6.
Welcome Tea Party to the Rev. H. Hall, pastor of King-street Baptist Chapel.
May 7.
Quarterly Meeting of the Town Council. Discussion as to the proceedings of the Watch Committee, and the estimates for Borough and General District rates.
May 8.
Selection, by the Ward Committees of the Wigan Liberal Association, of Mr. John Lancaster and Lieut.-Colonel McCorquodale as the Liberal candidates at the next borough election.
May 9.
Extraordinary sitting of the county magistrates to hear an Ashton assault case. - Employers' deputation to Government respecting the Compensation Bills.
May 10.
Field Day of the Lancashire Hussars at Newton-le-Willows.
May 15.
Deputation to the Free Library Committee respecting the issuing of books to the inhabitants of the adjoining townships.
May 17.
Special Meeting of the Council to lay a General District Rate.
May 19.
Order granted for the compulsory winding up of the Wigan Rolling Mills Company, Limited.
May 20-24.
Hearing of the appeal by Messrs. Rylands and Sons, Limited, against the assessment of Gidlow Mill.
May 24.
Review of the Lancashire Hussars at Newton. - Special Meeting of the Lancashire and Cheshire Miners' Permanent Relief Society; resolution passed increasing charge of membership. - Brass Band Contest at Pemberton.
May 28.
Addresses by Mr. Lancaster and Mr. McCorquodale at the Liberal Club. - Meeting at St. Helens of subscribers to the Haydock Colliery Explosion Fund.
June 2.
Meeting of the Manchester Presbytery at Wigan. - Gala in the Park in aid of the Infirmary.
June 3.
Laying the foundation stone of St. Andrew's Church, Woodhouse-lane.
June 4.
The Wigan Observer from this date published three times each week - Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
June 6.
Inspection of Volunteers at their encampment in the Isle of Man.
June 7.
Bazaar in aid of St. Thomas's Church Schools, Ashton.
June 11.
Presentations by the tenantry of Mr. F. S. Powell to Mr. Alderman and Mrs. Hilton.
June 14.
Official inspection of the 21st L.R.V. in Haigh Park. - Brass Band Contest at New Springs.
June 17.
Cutting the first sod of the new Sewerage Works at Parbold by Mr. Alderman Gregson.
June 19.
Prize Day at the Wigan Grammar School, and at the Wigan High School.
June 20.
Local Government Inquiry at Wigan with reference to an application for money for Gas Works extension.
June 21.
Wigan Athletic Festival. - Laying of the foundation stone of a United Methodist Free Church School for Hindley Common.
June 23.
Public Meeting at Ashton to promote the establishment of a Recreation Ground for the district.
June 25.
Special Town Council Meeting. Discussion as to new Streets, and the manufacture of Sulphate of Ammonia. - Opening of a new School at Parbold by Mr. N. Eckersley.
June 26.
Dismissal of the summons against Dr. Blumberg of having made a false certificate of death.
June 27.
Resolution by the Library Committee not to allow books to be lent to inhabitants of the adjoining out-townships, except on their contributing to the funds.
June 28.
Sanction by the Court of Chancery of a scheme for the investment of the Haydock Explosion Fund.
June 30.
A woman named Catherine Dunham charged on evidence of two boys with having murdered a child by throwing it in the river Douglas; afterwards liberated.
July 2.
Consecration of the new portion of Ince Cemetery.
July 12.
Conservative Pic-nic to Haigh Park. - Death of Mr. Peter Martin, of Rivington.
July 14.
Special Meeting of the Town Council; a memorial adopted in favour of a joint railway station.
July 15.
Death, in London, of Mr. Thomas Whaley, J.P., formerly of Orrell.
July 16.
Presentation of an address to Dr. Blumberg by the members of the Wigan Homæopathic Dispensary.
July 17.
Death of Mr. James Wood, of Moat House, Haigh, aged 50 years.
July 18.
Local Government Inquiry at Ashton.
July 19.
Flower and Canary Show at Ince. - Flower Show at New Springs.
July 21.
Wigan Borough Sessions; 11 prisoners. - Judgement given in Rylands' Rating Appeal.
July 26.
Railway Collision at the Wigan Station of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway; 12 persons injured. - First Athletic Festival at Hindley.
July 29.
Pemberton Ratepayers at a public meeting refused to adopt the Public Libraries Acts.
July 30.
Show in Westwood Park of the Wigan, Ormskirk, and St. Helens Agricultural Society.
Aug. 2.
Brass Band Contest in the Mesnes Park in aid of the Infirmary. - Opening of Chorley Town Hall.
Aug. 4-5.
Infirmary Gala and Flower Show in the Mesnes Park.
Aug. 6.
Boiler Explosion at Orrell, one man injured. - Quarterly Meeting of the Council, Discussion as to the Gas Visiting Committee accepting tenders, and a pavilion for the Park.
Aug. 9.
Meeting of the Ashton Ratepayers' Charity Committee; receipt of a reply from the Charity Commissioners.
Aug. 12.
Open verdict returned concerning the death of a man named Alfred Gordan, in Scholes.
Aug. 13.
Local Government Inquiry at Aspull.
Aug. 16.
Temperance Demonstration in Haigh Park.
Aug. 19.
Animated discussion at the Hindley Local Board Meeting on the financial condition of the Gas Works.
Aug. 21.
Experiments with Safety Lamps at Garswood Hall Collieries. - Collapse of the shaft of the Duke's Pit, Platt Bridge. The underlooker, Thomas Ralphs, killed during the exploration of the mine afterwards.
Aug. 22.
Affray with poachers at Winstanley; a poacher shot.
Aug. 23.
Laying the foundation stone of a new Church School at Hindley Green.
Aug. 26.
Public Meeting to protest against the granting of new Licences.
Aug. 27.
Borough Brewster Sessions.
Aug. 28.
Wigan County Annual Licensing Sessions.
Aug. 30.
Sunday School Union Conference at Golborne.
Sept. 7.
Farewell address by the Rev. F. G. Collier to his congregation at Horwich.
Sept. 11.
Notices given for a reduction of 7½ per cent. in the wages of Wigan cotton operatives.
Sept. 15.
Death of Mr. William Baker, farmer, of Goose Green, aged 78 years.
Sept. 17.
Two new Furnaces blown in at Kirkless Ironworks. - Borough Revision.
Sept. 21.
Blessing of the new Bell at St. Patrick's Church.
Sept. 24.
Verdict of wilful murder returned against John and Catherine Barnes for baby farming at Birkenhead - one of the children who died being from Wigan.
Sept. 25.
Visit of the members of the Iron and Steel Institute to Wigan. - Strike of Wigan weavers.
Sept. 29.
Meeting in connection with the Hospital Sunday and Saturday movement.
Sept. 30.
Local Government Inquiry at Orrell.
Oct. 1.
Consecration of the Roman Catholic portion of the new ground at Ince Cemetery.
Oct. 2.
Opening of the 23rd session of the Wigan Mining and Mechanical School.
Oct. 4.
Opening Services in connection with a Mission at all the established Churches in Wigan. The Mission extended over ten days. - Death of Mrs. Dury, wife of the Rev. E. A. Dury, vicar of St. Catherine's.
Oct. 8.
Local Government Inquiry at Ashton.
Oct. 9.
County Revision at Wigan.
Oct. 14.
Meeting of the Mechanics' Institution to consider a scheme for amalgamation with the Literary and Scientific Society.
Oct. 15.
Committal for trial of Wm. Ellison, head gamekeeper for Mr. Bankes, for the shooting of a poacher on August 22nd.
Oct. 16.
Opening of the Wigan Junction Railways for mineral traffic.
Oct. 18.
Laying the foundation stone on a new Wesleyan School at Aspull.
Oct. 20.
United Kingdom Alliance Meeting in Wigan.
Oct. 22.
Seven men killed by an overwinding accident at the Alexandra Pit, St. Helens.
Oct. 24.
Hearing of Objections to Nominations of candidates at next Municipal Elections. Liberal objections afterwards disallowed.
Oct. 25.
Opening of a Bazaar at Downall Green by Lord Winmarleigh. - Presentations to the Rev. W. Muzzell, on his leaving Ince.
Oct. 27.
Distribution of Prizes at the Wigan Mining and Mechanical School by Mr. T. Knowles, M.P. - Public Meeting in favour of the Sunday closing of Public-houses.
Oct. 29.
Special Council Meeting to confirm proceedings of committees.
Nov. 1.
Municipal Elections. Nine Conservatives and one Liberal retired; three Liberals and seven Conservatives returned.
Nov. 3.
Wigan Quarter Sessions; 13 prisoners. - Opening of the new buildings on the Mesnes of the Wigan Grammar School by Mr. N. Eckersley, chairman of the Governors. Address by the Home Secretary on Education.
Nov. 7.
Death of Mr. Ralph D. Grundy, aged 33 years, chief mechanical engineer to the Wigan Coal and Iron Company.
Nov. 10.
Annual Meeting of the Town Council. Election of Mr. Alderman R. A. ffarington, Mayor. Discussion as to the establishment of Public Baths and Wash-houses in Wigan. - Jonathan Simpkin and John Clayton, colliers, sentenced to 20 years' penal servitude at Liverpool Assizes for a savage assault on Billinge constables.
Nov. 16.
Sermen by the Bishop of Manchester at the Parish Church.
Nov. 17.
Miners' Conference in Wigan; Memorial adopted to Government with reference to Colliery Inquests and the use of detaching hooks, and an application for an advance in wages agreed upon.
Nov. 18.
Local Government Inquiry at Hindley; censure passed on the Board by the Inspector.
Nov. 19.
Distribution of Prizes by Sir Julius Benedict to the successful students at the local musical examinations of Trinity College.
Nov. 24.
Deputation to the Home Secretary from the Wigan Miners' Conference. - Opening of the new Grammar School for scholastic purposes.
Nov. 25.
Formation of a Ratepayers' Association at Hindley. - Special report presented by the medical officer on the prevalence of scarlet fever in Wigan.
Nov. 26.
Special Town Council Meeting to consider the new Improvement Bill; the sitting adjourned.
Nov. 27.
Meeting of the supporters of the Sunday closing movement. Declaration of the result of the canvas of the town.
Nov. 30.
Death, in London, of Mrs. E. H. Woodcock, of Worthington Lodge.
Dec. 1.
Adjourned Town Council Meeting. The scheme for acquiring a site for a Town Hall thrown out. - Conservative Meeting in the Theatre Royal. Addresses by the borough members, Lord Lindsay and Mr. T. Knowles.
Dec. 2.
Colliery Explosion at Leigh; two men killed and three injured.
Dec. 3.
Opening of St. Catherine's Schools' Bazaar by Lord Lindsay, M.P.
Dec. 5.
Judgement given in the case of the liquidator of the Wigan Rolling Mills v. Exors. of Mr. J. Smethurst.
Dec. 8.
Enthusiastic reception, at Wigan, of Mr. Gladstone, on his way from Scotland to Chester. Presentation of an address from the Wigan Liberal Association. - Adjourned Miners' Conference.
Dec. 9.
Stormy discussion at the Hindley Local Board Meeting on the management of the Gas Works.
Dec. 10.
Hearing of the action to set aside the sale of the Wigan Rolling Mills; the application dismissed. - Breakdown of the winding engine at Rose Bridge Collieries.
Dec. 13.
Distribution of Prizes to the Volunteers by the Mayoress.
Dec. 15.
Prosecution by the police of Professor Bosco for illegally holding a lottery in the Theatre Royal, Wigan.